How to Learn Community Development
A structured path through Community Development — from first principles to confident mastery. Check off each milestone as you go.
Community Development Learning Roadmap
Click on a step to track your progress. Progress saved locally on this device.
Foundations of Community Development
1-2 weeksLearn the history, theories, and ethical principles of community development. Study the settlement house movement, Saul Alinsky's organizing methods, and the evolution from needs-based to asset-based approaches.
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Understanding Social Capital and Community Dynamics
1-2 weeksStudy how social networks, trust, and civic engagement shape community capacity. Read Robert Putnam's work on social capital and explore bonding, bridging, and linking ties.
Asset Mapping and Needs Assessment
2-3 weeksMaster practical tools for understanding a community: conduct asset mapping using the ABCD framework, design and administer community needs assessments, and analyze demographic and economic data.
Community Organizing and Leadership Development
2-3 weeksLearn organizing strategies including power analysis, one-on-one relational meetings, campaign planning, and leadership pipelines. Study Arnstein's Ladder of Citizen Participation and participatory decision-making.
Economic and Housing Development
2-3 weeksExplore affordable housing strategies (CDCs, CLTs, LIHTC), community development finance (CDFIs, CRA), small business support, workforce development, and cooperative models.
Cross-Sector Collaboration and Collective Impact
1-2 weeksStudy frameworks for multi-stakeholder partnerships including Collective Impact, community benefit agreements, anchor institution strategies, and public-private partnerships.
Program Evaluation and Participatory Research
2-3 weeksLearn how to measure community development outcomes. Study logic models, theory of change, participatory action research (PAR), and both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods.
Contemporary Issues and Applied Practice
2-4 weeksEngage with current challenges: equitable development, anti-displacement strategies, climate resilience, digital inclusion, health equity, and the integration of racial justice into community development practice.
Explore your way
Choose a different way to engage with this topic — no grading, just richer thinking.
Explore your way — choose one: